Come celebrate the birthday of John Paul Jones

Wednesday

Jun 19, 2013 at 3:15 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Join the Portsmouth Historical Society as they celebrate the 266th birthday of John Paul Jones on the lawn of the historic house that bears his name.

The festivities begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, and will feature the sounds of the Seacoast Wind Ensemble. Admission is free to members of the Portsmouth Historical Society and $10 for non-members. Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair and of course no birthday party is complete without cake.

John Paul Jones is the father of the American Navy and was born in the southwest coast of Scotland on July 6, 1747. John Paul Jones was a tenant of the Widow Purcell in the house in 1781 while he supervised the building of the Navy’s ship America nearby.

If you can’t make the July 7 birthday party, the celebration will continue on July 21 with an outdoor concert by Scots musician Alan Reid. Alan will combine song and narrative in this presentation on the life of John Paul Jones based on his 2012 release “The Adventures of John Paul Jones.”

Alan was an ever-present member of celebrated Scottish folk group Battlefield Band from its inception in 1969 until late 2010. He pioneered the use of keyboards in folk bands and garnered a reputation both for his story-style songwriting and his sensitive renditions of traditional song.

Since 2010 Alan has concentrated on his duo with Rob van Sante. The duo have released three albums, the latest of which “The Adventures of John Paul Jones” is the culmination of eight years researching, writing and recording and represents Alan’s enduring fascination with the Scottish born sailor.

July 21 is a rare opportunity to be entertained and to learn more of the exceptional story of John Paul Jones.